Vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner that contains a dirt separating filter member such as a paper bag that is releasably attached to an adapter which itself is releasably supported on a bracket to provide air flow access into the filter member so that the adapter can be removed from the vacuum cleaner when it is desired to attach a filter member thereto or to remove a filter member therefrom.

United States Patent Westergren 1 1 July 11, 1972 [541 VACUUM CLEANER [72] Inventor: George A. Welter-great, White Bear Lake,

Minn.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [22] Filed: April 21, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 817,762

55/377, 55/378, 229/625, 285/7 [51] Int. Cl ..B01d46/00 [58] Fleldofsearch ..55/361382, 356,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,870,863 1/1959 Bramhall ..5$/363 X 2,905,267 9/1959 Thompson ..55/363 2,975,862 3/1961 Goldberg .55/381 X 3,088,260 5/1963 Seyfried ..55/374 3,209,523 10/1965 Smithson ..55/374 3,344,588 10/1967 Szabo ..55/376 X 3,416,721 12/1968 Fesio ..229l53 X 3,423,907 1/1969 Hughes ..220/35 X 2,752,002 6/1956 Wied ..55/376 2,771,152 11/1956 Bramhall et a1 ....55/376 X 2,795,289 6/ 1957 Dresnek ..55/376 2,930,446 3/1960 Momberg et a1 ....55/378 X 2,945,558 7/1960 Cordell ........55/376 3,375,451 4/1968 Fromknecht 1 5/327 3,392,906 7/1968 Fesco ..229/62.5 X 3,480,987 12/1969 Schaefer ..15/327 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,387,792 12/1964 France ..55/374 885,423 12/1961 Great Britain .55/367 Primary Examiner Dennis E. Talbert. .Ir,

Atlomey-James S. Nettleton, Thomas E. Turcotte, Gene A l-leth, Burton H. Baker, Donald W. Thomas, Frank C. Harter and Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Sellman & Mc Cord [57] ABSTRACT A vacuum cleaner that contains a dirt separating filter member such as a paper bag that is releasably attached to an adapter which itself is releasably supported on a bracket to provide air flow acces into the filter member so that the adapter can be removed from the vacuum cleaner when it is desired to attach a filter member thereto or to remove a filter member therefrom.

VACUUM CLEANER One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved vacuum cleaner in which the replaceable filter member such as the bag may be mounted on an adapter exteriorly of the vacuum cleaner and then the adapter with the attached filter member mounted as a unit in the cleaner.

A more specific feature of the invention is to provide such a cleaner in which the bracket is releasably supported on a base that forms a part of the cleaner and with the bracket and adapter having releasable attaching means that cooperate to provide air flow communication between the exterior of the cleaner and the interior filter member by way of air flow passages in the bracket and the adapter.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be ap parent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canister type vacuum cleaner embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an adapter and a paper filter bag arranged just prior to mounting the bag on the adapter.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4.

In the illustrated embodiment of vacuum cleaner is of the canister type that comprises a bottom portion 11 and a hinged cover portion 12 shown in open position in FIG. 1 and when closed cooperating with the bottom portion 11 to define an enclosing casinG.

Located within the bottom portion of the canister vacuum cleaner 10 is a customary motor-fan suction unit 13 that produces a vacuum on the interior 14 of the canister and which exhausts air outwardly through an exhaust port 15, all in the customary manner.

Communicating with the interior 14 of the canister is a tubular coupling 16 that is mounted on the end wall 17 of the bottom portion 11 of the canister and to which is adapted to be releasably secured in the customary manner a suction hose (not shown) through which the dirt laden air is drawn during the cleaning operation. The dirt that is drawn through the coupling 16 into the interior 14 of the canister is separated by being confined within a porous filter member bag 18 which is preferably made of porous yet strong paper in the customary manner. Because of the vacuum on the interior 14 of the canister the air flows through the sides of the bag 18 while the dirt is retained within the bag.

The canister 10 functions as a confining means for containing the dirt separating filter member bag 18 during the cleaning operation while the suction unit 13 is creating a suction within the interior 14 as described. In order to retain the filter member bag 18 in position during the cleaning operation and to permit its ready remOval when a used bag is replaced with a fresh one there is provided a bracket 19 mounted on the end wall 17 which functions as a mounting base for holding the bag 18. This bracket 19 has an opening 20 therethrough which substantially coincides with the opening 21 in the base end wall 17. These openings provide a passage for flow of a dirt laden air stream into the interior of the cleaner.

The filter bag 18 itself is mounted on an adapter means 22 so that the filter member is releasably supported on the adapter during the cleaning operation and between operations but are otherwise separate from each other as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In the illustrated embodiment the adapter 22 comprises a plate 23 that contains the opening 20 with this opening coinciding with the interior of a tubular projection 24 that is integral with the plate 23. This tubular projection 24 is located inwardly of the end wall 17 and within the interior 14 of the canister 10 when the dust bag 18 and adapter are in position.

The dust bag 18 is releasably supported on the adapter 22 by providing an end wall 25 of the bag 18 with a cardboard reinforcing strip 26 that has an opening 27 therein larger in diameter than the tube 24 and a rubber diaphragm 28 provided with a central opening 29 that is normally smaller than the tube 24. This arrangement is provided so that the diaphragm 28 can be stretched over the tube 24 and the elasticity of the diaphragm 28 provides a seal with the outer surface of the tube 24. In order to prevent accidental dislodgement of the bag from the tube the tube is provided with an annular ridge or collar 30 adjacent the inner end thereof as shown most clearly in FIG. 3.

In order to retain the parts in assembled relationship there are provided cooperating attaching means on each of the bracket l9 and adapter 22. These attaching means are located at peripheral portions of the bracket and adapter. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment the adapter plate 23 is substantially flat and is provided with a plurality of edges, an opposite pair 31 of which are substantially parallel. These parallel edges are received within a pair of oppositely located guideways 32 on the inner side of the bracket 19. Thus the guideways are side channels having open inner sides for confining the edges 31 of the adapter plate 23.

The attaching means for holding the adapter 22 and thus the attached bag 18 in position also includes a spring latch means 33 that is in the form of an elongated strip 34 whose lower end is held within a mounting loop 35 that is integral with the bracket 19. This lower end 36 is held within the loop 35 by a bottom outwardly projecting tongue 37 on this lower end 36 located adjacent the bottom of the loop 35 and a ridge 38 located adjacent the top.

The upper end of the spring strip 34 is shaped to provide a finger engaging manipulating part 39 that is angled generally outwardly above the top edge of the end wall 17 as shown in FIG. 1. At the bottom of this part 39 there is located an inwardly directed catch 40 that engages the top edge 41 of the plate 23 to hold the plate in position.

In order to provide this top edge 41 and to provide room for the projecting catch 40 the top end 42 of the adapter 22 is recessed inwardly with respect to the interior 14 of the canister. This top end 42 comprises an edge of the adapter plate that extends beyond the bracket 19 to provide a hand engaging member for manipulating both the adapter 22 and a bag 18 attached thereto. This top end hand engaging member is provided with a lateral ridge 43 that is used for providing a secure grip when the adapter 22 is being inserted or withdrawn.

With this invention the bag 18 may easily be mounted on the tubular projection 24 as indicated in the exploded view of FIG. 2. Then the user by grasping the top end 42 of the adapter may mount the bag within the canister by sliding the side edges 31 of the plate 23 between the guideways 32 and the plate portion 44 of the bracket 19 until the catch 40 springs rearwardly over the top edge 41 of the adapter plate 23 as described. This retains securely the adapter 22 in position on the bracket 19 with the dust bag 18 in filtering position within the canister 10.

Then, when it is desired to replace the used bag 18 with a fresh one it is only necessary to press the manipulating handle 39 of the latch 33 forwardly or to the left as viewed in FIG. 5 to withdraw the catch 40 from its position over the plate edge 41. The plate 23 may then be grasped at the top or hand engaging end 42 and withdrawn upwardly from the guideways 32. Then the used bag is removed from the tube 24 at any desired location away from the cleaner, a new bag installed on the adapter tube 24 and the adapter with the attached fresh bag remounted on the bracket 19 as described.

The structure of this invention has many advantages over conventional cleaner arrangements wherein the bag is mounted on a tube that is integral with the end wall of the cleaner. Thus in the present invention the adapter to which the bag is first attached can be assembled with the dust bag exteriorly of the cleaner. Then, after secure union has been achieved, the adapter with attached bag can be easily mounted in position within the cleaner.

Another and very important advantage is that different types of adapters 22 may be supplied with the same vacuum cleaner and with each adapter being designed to accommodate a different type of bag. Thus the user is not limited to one type of bag but can use many different types.

Another very important advantage is that the adapter and the attached dirt filled bag may be removed as a unit from the vacuum cleaner and the adapter serves to prevent accidental spillage of dirt within the interior of the cleaner as often occurs with conventional bags and mountings.

Another advantage is that the adapter and bracket portions of this invention can be constructed of molded plastic material quite inexpensively. Thus even the latch means 33 including the spring strip 34 and integral manipulating part 39 and catch 40 can be made of a molded plastic material.

Having described my invention as related to the embodirnent shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited .by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified.

I claim: 1. Vacuum cleaner structure for separating dirt from a dirt laden air stream during a cleaning operation, comprising:

a housing having an upwardly open base; a dirt collecting bag having resilient air inlet port means and being vertically movable into and from said housing base;

annular coupling means having an inlet portion arranged for releasable sealed connection thereto of a suction hose end, and an outlet opening;

an air flow conducting adapter arranged for successive use with a plurality of such bags, said adapter having a tubular portion having an outside diameter larger than the relaxed diameter of said resilient port means, said tubular portion being provided with a stop shoulder for axially positioning the tubular portion in said port means whereby said adapter tubular portion is removably coaxially sealed to said bag coaxially in said port means, said adapter further defining an inlet opening and slide means;

guide means extending vertically adjacent the outlet opening of the coupling means for slidably coacting with the slide means of the adapter to guide the adapter for vertical movement across said outlet opening to cause said adapter to be removably sealed to said coupling means with said inlet opening of the adapter aligned with said outlet opening of the coupling means and with said tubular portion of the adapter projecting into said bag means through said port means;

an upright hand-engaging portion formed integrally with said adapter and provided with a lateral ridge; and

means for releasably locking said adapter to said coupling means with said openings aligned to provide sealed releasable air flow connection between said coupling means and said bag, said locking means being defined by a shoulder on said adapter adjacent said hand-engaging portion and latch means carried by the coupling means. the withdrawal of said tubular portion of the adapter from the bag inlet port means permitting the inlet port means to constrict to the relaxed condition thereby to facilitate retention of dirt collected in the bag.

2. The vacuum cleaner structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a bracket defining said outlet opening, and said means for locking said adapter is fonned integrally with said coupling means bracket.

3. The vacuum cleaner structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a bracket defining said outlet opening, and said guide means is formed integrally with said bracket. 

1. Vacuum cleaner structure for separating dirt from a dirt laden air stream during a cleaning operation, comprising: a housing having an upwardly open base; a dirt collecting bag having resilient air inlet port means and being vertically movable into and from said housing base; annular coupling means having an inlet portion arranged for releasable sealed connection thereto of a suction hose end, and an outlet opening; an air flow conducting adapter arranged for successive use with a plurality of such bags, said adapter having a tubular portion having an outside diameter larger than the relaxed diameter of said resilient port means, said tubular portion being provided with a stop shoulder for axially positioning the tubular portion in said port means whereby said adapter tubular portion is removably coaxially sealed to said bag coaxially in said port means, said adapter further defining an inlet opening and slide means; guide means extending vertically adjacent the outlet opening of the coupling means for slidably coacting with the slide means of tHe adapter to guide the adapter for vertical movement across said outlet opening to cause said adapter to be removably sealed to said coupling means with said inlet opening of the adapter aligned with said outlet opening of the coupling means and with said tubular portion of the adapter projecting into said bag means through said port means; an upright hand-engaging portion formed integrally with said adapter and provided with a lateral ridge; and means for releasably locking said adapter to said coupling means with said openings aligned to provide sealed releasable air flow connection between said coupling means and said bag, said locking means being defined by a shoulder on said adapter adjacent said hand-engaging portion and latch means carried by the coupling means, the withdrawal of said tubular portion of the adapter from the bag inlet port means permitting the inlet port means to constrict to the relaxed condition thereby to facilitate retention of dirt collected in the bag.
 2. The vacuum cleaner structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a bracket defining said outlet opening, and said means for locking said adapter is formed integrally with said coupling means bracket.
 3. The vacuum cleaner structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a bracket defining said outlet opening, and said guide means is formed integrally with said bracket. 